


An Age Long Past

by Galysh_Sky



Category: Charlie Bone Universe - Jenny Nimmo
Genre: Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 14:05:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15098168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galysh_Sky/pseuds/Galysh_Sky
Summary: 100 Themes, 100 Charlie Bone Drabbles, definitely not 100 different AUs.





	An Age Long Past

**Author's Note:**

> Oops?  
> Testing out a new writing style.

_Theme I: Introduction_

“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.”

The prayer was a familiar one, the words weighty in their sincerity despite the stench of blood and decay that hung in the air. The speaker was a young man dressed in a workman’s cloth, to the inexperienced eye it appeared dull and uncouth. His hair composed of thin braids was pulled back into a half-tail and adorned with beads that jingled whenever he moved. Rising from his kneel, the man lifted a pole-arm that easily cleared 6 feet in length and stepped away from the roadside cross. His tread was light, the dirt barely shifting under his steps despite the weight of the weapon he carried or the thick soled sandals he wore. Further down the path where a rocky outcropping protruded stood another young man. Were the first was dark, the latter was light skinned with fair hair that floated in the breeze. His clothing spoke of needless finery and numerous expenses spent to keep their shimmer and glow. No visible weapons adorned his figure. The two met on top of the rocks, exchanging greetings through the timeless slapping of hands, before they continued.

They moved swiftly, appearing to occasionally flicker in and out of view as the surrounding territories transformed from dusty terrains to grassy hills and looming trees. They passed few on the roads, the sun beating down on toiling merchants returning with their day’s wares. A road sign, nothing more than a plank of wood attached to a tree, came into view and the two split up. The pale haired one veering to go north-east while his companion continued straight ahead. The pale one sped up as he moved, no longer walking but running, each step covering twice the distance of an average man’s. The leaves swirled up around his feet as if caught up in a miniature vacuum each timed he stepped down. In the distanced a howl rose, high and haunting it sounded like no earthly animal. The pale one paused, balanced on a tree root and looked over his shoulder for a long moment. When he launched himself forwards again he had sped up and a wind began to truly blow around him.

He leapt through the trees, occasionally using a branch to propel himself forwards instead of the ground. A brook bubbled up in front of him, but he cleared it without issue, scarf floating elegantly behind him. He bifurcated left to head downstream, as he moved the stream grew, slowly widening until it could be called a roaring river. The grassy embankments gave way to steep entrenchments out of which protruded sharp rocks and finger like roots. On the far side a creature burst out of the trees. Saliva flew out of its gaping maw, thin tendrils reaching back to multiple rows of Sulphur yellow teeth. Four paws covered in matted fur shook the ground when they hit it. A young sapling was viciously uprooted as the beast shouldered its way through. A small beady eye fixated on the pale one, as its huge tail ending in a spiked mass swayed back and forth.

The pale one spared it a glance and promptly stumbled. He caught his balance and pressed onwards even as the creature pulled level and roared loudly enough to cause another stumble. Up ahead the river narrowed abruptly before flaring out again and dropping out of sight. The two raced on determined to reach the ford first. The pale one unhindered as he was by the narrow gaps between the trees did so. He slowed, breath coming out in rapid pants, as he reached the area where the river disappeared and looked down in apparent horror. The spray from the waterfall reached up to splatter his face and clothing. Not far behind the beast launched itself over the narrowing of the river and landed with a thud that sent the few remaining birds-not having already fled- flying off.

Sensing its quarry, the beast prowled closer. The pale one glanced between the approaching doom, and the rushing water. He stepped away from the edge and made a ‘ _come hither’_ gesture, the beast did not need a second summons and hurled itself forwards. As it did, the pale one threw himself backwards out into thin air. For a breath he hung as if supported by the very air itself, within the next he was plummeting, twisting, turning, and shooting parallel to the thundering water. Far above the beast howled its dismay and rage. The pale one remained unperturbed, a large grin lit his face, white teeth flashing. Below him a pool of frothing water steadily grew larger.

The pale one flailed his arms awkwardly, much like a flightless bird, and looked down. Dark protrusions like teeth reached up to greet him, the water splashing over them eerily similar to the slavering of the beast. The pale one felt his smile dim slightly, and his body automatically curling inwards to protect itself, he forced himself to stretch out again. Splay limbed he fell, hardly slowing, he brought two fingers up to his lips and whistled piercingly. High above an answer came loud and clear. From the clouds burst a dark speck that grew rapidly larger. From a speck to a blob to a triangular point, it unfurled into the body of a person with huge feathered wings. It slammed into the pale one with all the forced of a rampaging bulldog, rolling him through the air so that the two ended up with their feet facing the rapidly approaching water. The bird creature wrapped its arms tightly around the pale one’s waist, it wings working over time to slow them down.

Several miles away, the dark one was still heading North, pole arm held horizontally as he jogged. He appeared unbothered by the sweat dripping down his face. Ahead of him the trees gave way to fields of tall plants that swayed and bristled with the passing wind. Slowing to a walk, the dark one approached a stone barricade that towered far above his head. Upon closer inspection it bore several cracks and stains as if it had frequently found itself to be the target of artillery fire. Carefully slotted into one edge was the faint outline of a door way, upon this he pushed, muscles straining and flexing until there was enough of a gap for him to shoot through. The door slammed shut as he paused to wipe some of the shine off his face. When he had recovered his breath, he approached a house. It was a broad, u-shaped building built next to a couple of magnolia trees that cast the wrap-around porch into shade. As he grew closer, raised voices could be heard.

“-Really have to jump off the cliff?!”

“Come off it, Em’, it was that or the Beast!”

“What if I hadn’t caught you?”

“Of course you caught me, speaking of, work on those would you? I think I cracked a rib.”

The dark one crossed the porch and entered through the open door, as he did a weight seemed to lift from his shoulders. He straightened up and his height already impressive gained another inch. He followed the voices into a large kitchen where the pale one was creating a pool of water on the floor. He had a fluffy towel slung over his shoulder but was making no effort to use it. His hair forced into submission by the weight of the water dripping off him, lay flat on his head, it’s glimmer darkened into a molten gold. The bird creature was perched on a marble island, wrapped up in a large towel so that only her wings and head were visible. Dark blond hair hung around her face, slipping out of their intended braid with the carelessness of long habit. The creature shoved such a strand back behind her ear, but it sprung free again a moment later.

“What happened?” The dark one’s voice was soft, melodious, it floated through the air as if a song had been slowed into words.

“Em’ dropped me in the lake!”

“He jumped off a cliff without warning!”

The pale one’s voice was a crackle in the mid-afternoon air, tiny flickers reflected off his teeth when he opened his mouth. In contrast, the bird creature – Em's – voice was higher, flitting upwards like the trilling of a wren.

“Really, Tancred?”

The pale one shrugged, small sparks shot off his hand as he finally lifted the towel to run it through his hair, he cleared his throat and, in a voice, more akin to a boom than the earlier crackle replied, “I had the beast on my ass, no choice. Besides,” he cast Em a look, “It’s not like I was in any real danger.”

Em’s face contorted, a scowl appearing even as red grew on her cheeks. She lifted a finger, but no words appeared able to escape her open mouth. The dark one took a single step forwards grasped up the towel and vigorously rubbed it through the wet hair. “Thank you for helping him out Emma,” he said mildly, easily speaking over the squawks of protest coming from underneath the towel.

“No problem Captain,” Emma said, she slid off the island and headed towards the front door. “Liv should be back soon, I’m going to go meet her," she said and headed out of sight.

 The dark one looked down, his hands stilling their motions and sliding down to rest on his friend’s shoulders. “You went over the waterfall again, didn’t you?” The tone was light, more amused than judgmental, as if this were a commonly recurring situation.

Tancred ducked out from underneath his hands, spinning around to face him, already his hair was returning to its previous fly away nature. His lips were twitching as a smile fought to break free when he replied, “don’t ask questions you already know the answer to ‘Sander.” The dark one opened his mouth, but his friend held up a finger and continued swiftly, “I’m fine, no injuries, bite marks or fractures, some bruises though. Emma was jabbing me with her elbows again, but we’re all good, no sweat.” He clapped his hands together and grinned.

Sander shook his head but found himself helpless to stop a smile from forming anyway. Instead he stepped out the puddle the floor was turning into and headed further into the building. Tancred fell into place besides him. The halls of the building were made of a deep red wood that appeared to suck in all variations of light, leaving a dim glow no matter the time of day. Rumors flew that this was to protect the eyes if a monster that slept deep in the bowels of their home, but no one that dared to claim this could prove it. The darkness did not particularly bother Sander, for at his left walked a bright light that would not be quenched. Death, horror, and tragedy had only served as fuel to it's gleam and even now little sparks were spitting out into the air, fizzling merrily.

A loud knocking drew Sander out if his musings and he looked up, they had reached the heart of the darkness. Tancred grinned at him before shoving the door open and exclaiming cheerfully, "we're back, Boss!" 


End file.
